Wednesday (March 8) is International Women's Day and President Trump expressed his support by tweeting about how vital women are to our society.

"I have tremendous respect for women and the many roles they serve that are vital to the fabric of our society and our economy," he wrote. "On International Women's Day, join me in honoring the critical role of women here in America & around the world."

Trump has been widely criticized as being sexist, and the response to his claim that he has "tremendous respect for women" was swift, with many people pointing out the disparaging and insulting remarks he has made about women in the past.

I have tremendous respect for women and the many roles they serve that are vital to the fabric of our society and our economy.

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2017

On International Women's Day, join me in honoring the critical role of women here in America & around the world.

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 8, 2017

Ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Trump was caught on tape bragging to Access Hollywood's Billy Bush that as a celebrity he could do whatever he wanted with women, including grabbing them "by the pussy." Multiple women came forward with allegations of sexual assault against Trump during his presidential campaign.

In a Republican primary debate Megyn Kelly asked Trump to comment on the sexist remarks he has made about women, including calling them "fat pigs" and "dogs" and saying it would make a pretty picture to see a Celebrity Apprentice contestant on her knees. He joked that was "only Rosie O'Donnell" and then in the days following the debate implied Kelly had been menstruating when she asked the question, saying, she had "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever." During one of his debates against former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, he called his opponent a "nasty woman," a term that was then taken up as a feminist rallying cry in the weeks following his comment.

On Jan. 21, millions of women and men around the world marched to support women's rights for the Women's March. Trump initially criticized the protests by tweeting, "Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly." About two hours later he then tweeted, "Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views."

Spurred by the success of the Women's March, the organizers are honoring International Women's Day on Wednesday by calling for a "Day Without a Woman" strike. A Day Without a Woman will see women nationwide showcasing their socio-economic impact by taking the day off from work, wearing red and refraining from making purchases.

Vice President Mike Pence also tweeted about International Women's Day, as did First Daughter Ivanka Trump. First Lady Melania Trump hosted a women's luncheon at the White House in honor of the day that was attended by Pence's wife, Karen, as well as presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Ivanka Trump, among other Republican staffers and Senators. It was unclear from reports who else attended the luncheon and WH pool reporters were escorted out of the room before the until-now somewhat elusive First Lady made her official comments.

Today, we recognize and honor the fearless women who fight for human rights, democracy, and freedom around the world. #IWD2017

- Vice President Pence (@VP) March 8, 2017

Today, we celebrate women and are reminded of our collective voice and the powerful impact we have on our societies and economies. #IWD2017

- Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 8, 2017

Here's a look at how celebrities responded to Trump's tweet:

The Trump WH is so feminist, EVERY day is Day Without a Woman. pic.twitter.com/rYZeYo04kn

- Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) March 8, 2017

I wonder how many drafts it took for him to not include "except for fuckin' Rosie O'Donnell." https://t.co/24pc9Dn8iI

- Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) March 8, 2017

Happy international women's day. @realDonaldTrump, a special congrats to all the int'l pussies that have been assaulted by you.

#MT @dumptrump33@realDonaldTrump - A reminder in honor of #InternationalWomensDay that history was made in 2016! BIGLY! #daywithoutawoman pic.twitter.com/gnxwRseq5D

- McSpocky™ -- (@mcspocky) March 8, 2017

You lie more than Evan Hansen. -- https://t.co/sL5K3FubJD

- Ben Platt (@BenSPLATT) March 8, 2017

Sean Spicer released a statement from the office of the press secretary on Wednesday.

International Womens Day gives us the opportunity to celebrate and reflect upon the meaningful progress women have made throughout society, while also acknowledging that there is still much work that remains to be done to ensure the complete and consequential participation of women in all spheres of economic, political, and public life. Throughout our history, women have made enormous contributions in the service of our country, and we know that as a Nation, America will only become stronger, more prosperous, and better able to meet our shared goals, as women achieve greater access to a level playing field.

The United States, as a beacon of hope and a leader in promoting womens rights, is deeply committed to empowering women both at home and abroad. Our policies will work to advance the economic empowerment of women by promoting entrepreneurship and equal access to education, employment opportunities, and training adapted to a new economic landscape.

Together, America looks forward to a bright future with women in higher-wage jobs throughout high-growth sectors. America remains committed to empowering women around the world to realize their full potential within the global marketplace. And with our international partners, America will build upon the legacy of previous generations of women who have bravely broken through both economic and political barriers.

It was with these goals in mind that, as one of its first initiatives, this Administration ramped up efforts to promote women in business by launching the United States-Canada Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. The United States will continue to work with Canada and other partners around the globe to ensure that all women have the opportunity to succeed.

Today, the United States renews its commitment to fostering economic growth and job creation by harnessing the full potential of women in our economy. This Administration will work diligently to encourage women to enter and succeed in the workforce while addressing the many barriers women still face in achieving economic success, including those that impede womens access to capital, markets, and networking opportunities.